Ferroelectrics are very attractive substances because of their peculiar characteristics (such as very high relative permittivity, and good pyroelectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties). So, various devices (such as ceramic multilayer capacitors, pyroelectric devices, piezoelectric devices and ferroelectric memories) have been developed and put into use utilizing such peculiar properties. Typical ferroelectrics are perovskite materials such as barium titanate (BaTiO3) and lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr1-xTix)O3, PZT). Of these, lead zirconate titanates (PZTs) provide relatively excellent polarization and piezoelectric properties and are therefore most widely used.
Lead-containing PZTs are specified hazardous substances. However, because there are currently no suitable commercially available alternative pyroelectric or piezoelectric materials, PZTs are exempt from the RoHS directive (the directive on the restriction of the use of specified hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment enforced by the European Union and Council of Europe). However, with the growing worldwide responsibility towards global environment conservation, a strong demand exists for development of pyroelectric and piezoelectric devices using lead-free ferroelectric materials.
Also, with the recent trend toward smaller and lighter electronic devices, there is an increasing need for ferroelectric thin film devices in which a thin-film technology is utilized.
Herein, pyroelectric and piezoelectric thin film devices will be described below as representatives of such ferroelectric thin film devices. Piezoelectric devices utilize the piezoelectric effect of a ferroelectric material, and are widely used as functional devices such as actuators and stress sensors. Actuators generate a displacement or vibration in response to an applied voltage to a ferroelectric (piezoelectric) material. Stress sensors generate a voltage in response to a strain produced in a piezoelectric material. Pyroelectric devices detect light (including infrared light) utilizing the pyroelectric effect of a ferroelectric material, and are widely used as infrared human body sensors, etc.
Examples of piezoelectric devices utilizing a lead-free piezoelectric material are described below. Patent Literature 1 discloses a piezoelectric thin film device including, on a substrate, a lower electrode, a piezoelectric thin film and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric thin film is made of an alkali niobate-based perovskite dielectric material of a chemical formula (NaxKyLiz)NbO3 (where 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0≤z<1, and x+y+z=1). A buffer layer of a perovskite crystal structure material is formed between the piezoelectric thin film and the lower electrode. The perovskite buffer layer is highly preferentially (001), (100), (010) or (111) oriented. According to this Patent Literature 1, the piezoelectric thin film device utilizing the lead-free lithium potassium sodium niobate thin film exhibits sufficient piezoelectric properties.
Piezoelectric devices have a basic structure of a piezoelectric material sandwiched between two electrodes and are micro-fabricated into a beam shape or a tuning fork shape depending on their application. So, micro fabrication processes are important in order to put piezoelectric devices using lead-free piezoelectric materials to practical use.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a method of processing a wafer having thereon a piezoelectric thin film of a chemical formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where 0.4≤x≤0.7). The method includes the first step of ion etching the piezoelectric thin film on wafer in an Ar gas atmosphere and the second step of reactive ion etching the resulting wafer in a fluorine based reactive gas/Ar mixture atmosphere. According to this Patent Literature 2, a fine pattern of the piezoelectric thin film can be formed, thereby providing a highly reliable and low cost piezoelectric thin film device.